Help with Denford Machine config

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26 Oct 2024 12:50 - 26 Oct 2024 12:51 #313251 by Nixus
Hello!

I posted before relatively recently about this machine I received. it's giving me way more trouble to configure than I would like. The amount of confusion the config itself gives me is painful. So I need some advice. I was advised earlier that the config I originally used (as was a startup with a machine) was off. so I loaded up the earliest config which did have the correct orientation and yet refused to let the machine move by itself in manual control as the previous config did allow. Seems like the spindle is controlled manually via VFD and I have no idea how to link it to the operating software. I have no knowledge about the stepper motors and the speeds and all that jazz and me looking into Google for information leaves way more questions than it answers. Is there a guide I can use that helps with the software side of it ? I would like to at least make some progress cutting things :c.

So.. config is no help tbh. The work area is not set and I didn't see a prompt to set it in the config wizard. so the result is a tiny square in the corner. The machine also does seem to home with no problem but the spindle does not move in any axis and I cannot move it in manual mode. The VFD when powered up does spin the spindle at a set speed. (no idea where that control is).

So I need help or a guide or something before I end up giving up on this thing entirely. It's clear it's previously used Retrofitted the machine but I received no documentation with it so I'm a newbie with a nonstandard machine.

I will link my previous post as it contains pictures of my machine. 
I can always try to splash out and ditch Linux as a software entirely and use Denford's software or something that isn't infinitely confusing.

Link to past post: forum.linuxcnc.org/38-general-linuxcnc-q...-machine-axis-config

THANK YOU in advance for any tips and tricks!

 
Last edit: 26 Oct 2024 12:51 by Nixus.

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27 Oct 2024 01:24 #313274 by Aciera
Not much to go on. Please post your current .hal and .ini files or compress your entire machine config and post it here.

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30 Oct 2024 16:37 - 30 Oct 2024 16:39 #313494 by Nixus
Hello,
I do apologise for delay. I managed to get out the relevant files. I sure hope they will reveal what am i doing wrong.
Thank you for replying, I greatly appreciate it!
Attachments:
Last edit: 30 Oct 2024 16:39 by Nixus. Reason: Files did not attach.

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30 Oct 2024 17:55 #313502 by Aciera
You have clearly wrong limits set for your axes, see the [AXIS_l] sections of your ini file:

this here tells the controller that this axis can move one micron in the negative and 8 mm in the positive direction from the home position:
MIN_LIMIT = -0.001
MAX_LIMIT = 8.0

Also you seem to be missing the homing setup, but you use a rather old version of linuxcnc so I'm not sure how that was done in your particular version.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Nixus

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30 Oct 2024 18:04 #313505 by tommylight
The config is for metric units but velocities and accelerations seem to be set for imperial units as they are way to low for metric, max speed is 60mm/m as is.
Also, old config, so what version of LinuxCNC is being used, see the top border when LinuxCNC is running.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Aciera, Nixus

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31 Oct 2024 18:43 #313548 by Nixus
I see...

I have not done anything to the Ubuntu software nor the Linuxcnc software when i inherited the machine so i believe the versions to be rather ooOOOOld.

Axis seems to be 2.5.0 version and Ubuntu Version is 10.04 lts.

I suppose before trying to resolve the config section i should try to upgrade the System. But is that relativly easy to do with Linux?

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31 Oct 2024 23:16 #313557 by tommylight
No need to upgrade at all, i have plenty of machines still using Ubuntu 8.04 and 10.04 with LinuxCNC (was named EMC2 back then), but two things make the upgrade worth while:
-in case the hard drive dies, upgrade is a good idea, although old ISO can still be found
-if you also want that same PC on the internet, it is safer from a security standpoint
Personally, i would get a new hard drive since they are very cheap, install the new version from here
www.linuxcnc.org/iso/linuxcnc_2.9.3-amd64.hybrid.iso
and copy the config over, while leaving the old drive and config as a backup.
In the meantime, let's try to get things moving, should it be using metric or imperial?
If imperial, edit the existing ini file (after making a backup to a USB) where the TRAJ section is and change from
LINEAR_UNITS = mm
to
LINEAR_UNITS = inch
If it is metric, then all the entries for AXIS should be changed to say 10 for velocity and 250 for acceleration, and also the max limits should be reflecting the distance the actual machine can move, in mm.

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02 Nov 2024 15:34 - 02 Nov 2024 15:35 #313663 by Nixus
Ok so the hardware is essentially no issue. I do have a secondary whole PC if need be.

So basically am i to interpret that MAX limits define the Working area of the machine? so in the case of my denford machine it can carve max A3 sized space.

And as for the 10 velocity , does it mean 10mm/sec ? or something like that?

aditionally, The machine i want it to use Metric units so i just left it as is.
Last edit: 02 Nov 2024 15:35 by Nixus. Reason: Adding information

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